


Bravery

by Claygoji (JCJx83)



Series: Catalyst [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, It has a Happy Ending Though, The TALK(tm), Yangst, of the three parts of Catalyst this is the one canon will obliterate, until saturday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:34:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21595429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JCJx83/pseuds/Claygoji
Summary: She realized then, that yes, Harriet was right. It was a terrible idea.But then again, so was trying to take on the personification of strength...
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Series: Catalyst [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1547431
Comments: 7
Kudos: 168





	Bravery

**Author's Note:**

> Part 3 of my Catalyst series. Most likely the end...until Saturday gives me more plot bunnies...
> 
> As always thanks for the click and I hope you enjoy!

“ _But, I mean when you go through so much with someone-_ ”

Yang swiped through the selfies she had taken. A distracted frown set on her lips.

"- _It kinda changes things, doesn't it?_ ”

Her grip tightened around her scroll. It's screen frozen on the image she hadn't known she had captured. The one Blake was staring at _her_ and not the camera. Blake looked happy, eyes wide and her mouth parted in a genuine smile. It was Yang's favorite of the thirty-some-odd pictures she had snapped. Just her and Blake, close together and happy.

“ _We get along well enough, sure. I count on them to keep me alive. They do the same_.”

Yang closed her eyes and blew a long slow breath out through pursed lips. Why did she have to do it? But she did it anyway, opened her big mouth and asked that stupid, _stupid_ , question. It certainly would have saved herself a headache and a mountains worth of confusion had she just not. 

"Me and my big mouth." She snarked to no one as she stood in the corridor that led to the airship that had brought them up to the arena. She had managed to slip away from the celebration that marked their pseudo-graduation shortly after she and Blake had received their next mission. Though, now that she took a second to think about it, she couldn't actually remember what it was. Something to do with a sewer? Maybe. She sighed, closing her scroll and pocketing it. 

Why did things have to be so confusing and complicated? Though if she were being honest with herself she assumed things had always been a little confused between her and her feisty partner. There had always been something _more_ there, hidden just beneath the surface, a line that they had both openly acknowledged existed but were unsure how to cross it. A fond smile crossed Yang’s lips as she recalled her blatant attempt at crossing the line back at Beacon.

Blake had been beautiful in that dress.

As with most things though, certain _complications_ arose to disarm that tension. Sure said complications had been dealt with, even if they had stumbled along the way. It was done. Yang had expected things to return to some form of normalcy after that, but life of course had a different idea. The line that had separated them had become blurred, Yang wasn’t sure if it even existed anymore. Every look, touch, smile... _everything_ held a different meaning now. 

Yang knew what it all meant for her. How could she not? It had been a reality she had been living with since before she lured Blake into that classroom what felt like a lifetime ago. She thought, no, hoped would be a better word, that it was the same for Blake. And she was almost certain that Blake shared that sentiment.

Then life had to go and butt it’s head in yet again.

“ _But that’s the job. We don’t confuse the two._ ”

Yang clenched her right fist, only relaxing it when the sound of protesting metal reached her ears. She hadn’t understood it then and she still didn’t now. How? How could you go through so much, trust your life to others, have them give up a part of themselves to you, and you for them, and still not form a bond beyond the superficial? 

There had to be more to it than that.

Didn’t there?

“Yang?” A voice softly called as a hand landed on her shoulder. Yang flinched away, the surprise of the voice and touch sending adrenaline pumping throughout her body. She turned towards the sound of the voice. Blake stood there, shock evident on her face and her ears swiveled back, words tumbled from her lips. “I’m sorry-- I can just go back--”

Yang grabbed her partner’s wrist faster than a lightning flash, “No!” She stopped, brain catching up with the rest of her body. She released Blake’s wrist, hand coming to scratch the back of her neck, tried to ignore the way Blake seemed almost disappointed that she let go of her. “I-- you just startled me is all. I don’t mind you being here.”

Blake grabbed the spot just above her left wrist, a gesture Yang had come to associate with her partner being shy. Blake’s eyes darted down to the floor, before snapping back up to Yang, “If you’re sure?” 

“Yeah, please.” Yang said. Blake nodded and settled in next to her, keeping a couple of feet of space between them. Yang’s hand itched to take Blake's but the faunus still held her wrist, making that impossible. Though Yang supposed she could always put her arm around her shoulders again. That had been nice. Yang reached over to do just that when Blake turned towards her, Yang’s hand shot back to her waist, thumb burying itself behind her belt. If Blake caught the movement she didn’t mention it, instead asking.

“So, what made you come out here?”

“Just wanted a quiet place to think.” Yang said, eyes turning to Blake. “What about you?”

“Never been one for parties.”

“I’ll say, had to basically drag you to the last one.”

Blake smacked her arm, “ _Rude_.”

“Just calling it as I see it.” Yang said, holding up her hands in mock surrender. Blake rolled her eyes with a smile.

“ _We don’t confuse the two._ ” 

Yang frowned, eyes snapping back out to the airship and the twinkling night sky that lay beyond it. 

“Hey,” Blake moved closer, her body almost pressing up against Yang’s left side, she clasped Yang’s arm, giving it a squeeze. “What happened, where’d you go?”

Yang swallowed, words forming on her tongue but they refused to come out. Like they were afraid what the world’s response to them would be. How some _one_ would respond to them. She stayed her tongue, choosing instead to pull out her scroll. She opened it, quickly closing her gallery, and pulled up her license. She stared down at it, her own face smiling back up at her. 

“She’s right.” Yang said after a moment. Blake’s head tilted, brow furrowing and ears tilting round.

“Who’s right?”

“Harriett,” Yang said, raising her gaze to meet amber eyes. “It is a _job_.”

“Oh.” Blake said, ears drooping lower than Yang had ever seen. Her partner pulled her hand back, taking hold of her own forearm. The luster of her eyes had also dulled somewhat, like she had realized something she desperately wanted was just out of her reach. 

"The others should be finishing up soon." Blake said, refusing to meet Yang's eyes. "I'll be on the ship.”

* * *

Blake hated it.

She hated the way it felt like her heart had just shattered into a billion pieces. It weighed her down, every inch of her body felt numb. Had she misread things? Had the signs been mirages concocted by her own wishful thinking? Blake had thought...Maybe she had misread everything. It was the only logical conclusion.

She had been so _sure_. 

“ _But that’s the job. We don’t confuse the two._ ”

Harriet’s words rang in her ears. She had been standing just behind Yang when the Ace-Operative had spoken. Unable to see her partner’s face, unable to gauge her reaction to the sentiment. She had been so hopeful that Yang didn’t share in it. She had her answer now though and it gutted her.

That wasn’t even the worst part. No, the worst part was just how much she underestimated how it would hurt. The heartache and stomach churning kick to the gut she had anticipated. What she hadn’t counted on was the way that it felt like her soul had been sundered.

Tears pricked at her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks. She refused to let them fall, not when Yang was still so close, not where she could be seen and heard. The airship would provide her with the solitude she needed. There she could break.

A hand fell on her shoulder and she froze. 

"Wait, _please_." Yang's voice wavered, thick with something she couldn’t really place. Blake screwed her eyes shut, a final attempt to contain her tears. She was so close to breaking and Yang's voice was not helping. Yang's other hand fell on her other shoulder, followed by Yang's head coming to rest against the back of her own. Yang's grip tightened slightly, her breathing ragged. "You...you didn't let me finish."

Blake stood stock-still, terrified that whatever _this_ was would end if she so much as flinched. Yang was a solid and firm warmth behind her, her breath tickling the nape of her neck as she exhaled. Blake's ears twitched as Yang took a deep breath.

"How do you do it?" Yang asked, tone betraying a level of affection Blake had never heard from her.

"D-do what?" Blake asked, voice low and more hopeful than she intended. 

"We spent all day in a deserted dust mine." Yang said. Blake felt her nuzzle her nose deeper into her newly shortened hair. "Yet you still smell so _good_."

A blush formed on Blake's face. " _Yang_?"

Blake felt as much as she heard the soft chuckle that came from her partner.

"Sorry, I got distracted, didn't I?" Yang said. She released another breath and Blake did her best to ignore the goosebumps that formed on nape. Blake swallowed.

"Well?"

"It _is_ a job. That's what being a _huntress_ is." Yang repeated her previous statement and Blake felt herself tetter on the edge of an abyss. Yang continued on, words low and full of emotion. "That's the _job_ . But _this_ ,” she gestured between them with a shaking hand, “Whatever this is Blake, it's so much more and if that makes me confused, well, I guess I'm the most confused woman on Remnant."

A spark of hope ignited itself in Blake’s chest, her heart thumped as it slowly reformed piece by piece. A lone tear slid down her cheek, accompanied by a stranger sob, her lungs taking their first real breath in minutes. Her voice shook, "Yang, what...what do you mean?"

"They made their decisions, Blake. If all it is to them is work, then fine. But that's not what _I_ want." Yang said. Blake's ears flicked at the sound of water splashing against the back of her coat. "I'm going to let you go, you can go to the airship. We'll keep it professional. Or you can turn around. It's up to you."

Blake felt Yang squeeze her shoulders, then her hands fell away and her head pulled back. Blake had never felt so cold. This was it. Two roads laid before her...before them. One was safe but it was also cold. The other, well, to call it scary would be an understatement. It would be terrifying, difficult, and who knows maybe Harriet was right. Maybe it was a terrible idea to mix friendship and...something _else_ , with the job. Especially with what they were facing, they could be dead tomorrow. Hell, how many times had she and Yang almost died in the last year? 

She realized then, that yes, Harriet was right. It was a terrible idea.

But then again, so was trying to take on the personification of _strength..._ and _bravery_.

Blake turned into warmth. 

* * *

Yang’s eyes were closed. She couldn’t...she couldn’t bring herself to watch if Blake decided to walk away. Her cheeks were wet, she had tried but unfortunately she couldn’t hold all of her tears back. Blake tended to have that effect on her.

Blake shuffled in front of her and Yang took a sharp breath, face scrunching up as she braced for the sound of footsteps getting further and further away. 

Instead…

Instead two, soft and warm, hands cupped her face, thumbs brushed along her cheeks.

“Look at me, Yang.” Yang opened her eyes, coming face to face with shimmering amber, the depths of Blake’s emotion on full display. Fresh tears sprung to Yang’s eyes. Blake’s voice was firm, as if she was daring the world to challenge what she was saying. “I made you a promise and I didn’t make it just because of everything we’ve been through. It plays a part, yes, _but_ …”

“But what?” Yang gently prodded. Her hands twitched at her side, flesh and metal wanting nothing more than to hold Blake tightly against her. 

“What I did...after the fall,” Blake started, her words carrying the weight of her heart and _so_ much more. “It is the single greatest regret of my life and as long as you’ll have me I’ll be by your side.”

Yang hated what she was about to ask, but she had to, she had to know, this wouldn’t work unless they were both on the same page. “As friends, teammates?”

Blake’s expression turned soft, admiration and something Yang refused to give a name to, _yet_ , coming over her face.

“I think we both know it’s _more_ than that.” 

Yang crushed Blake against her, earning a surprised squeak from her partner. Yang tightened her hold, burying her face into Blake's short locks. She choked back a sob as two arms snaked their way around her waist, pulling her closer.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me." Yang said. She groaned as Blake pulled away, bringing a hand up to cup Yang's face. Blake smiled up at her softly, eyes crinkling at their edges.

"I might have an idea."

“Do you now?” Yang teased, watching as a look flashed across Blake’s features. Her partner tipped forward, lips leaving a kiss just a hair's breadth from Yang’s own. Yang felt blood rush to her face, no doubt matching the flush that dusted Blake’s cheeks. Yang’’s mouth moved dumbly, “I- uh…”

“Hmm?” Blake tilted her head, amber eyes filled with a mischievous glint. “Yang Xiao Long, _speechless_? Be still my heart.”

Yang shook her head, pulling Blake back into her and resting her chin on her head, “Your going to be trouble, aren’t you?”

“You wouldn’t have it any other way.” Blake mumbled against her chest.

_No_ , Yang thought. She really wouldn’t. Yang turned her head, dropping a kiss of her own on Blake's crown making her ears twitch. 

"Speaking of everything we've been through, though," Yang said, rubbing a hand up and down Blake's back. An ear twitched, it's soft fur tickling her cheek, "Don't think I didn't see you staring at that crate."

Blake tensed in her arms. Yang brought a hand up, tilting Blake's chin up until amber met lilac. 

"We don't have to talk about it now," she said, voice soft and low, "Or even at all if you don't want to. I just want you to know that I'm here."

"I know you are," Blake said, eyes darting down and back up, pupils just the tiniest bit wider than before. Yang swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. Blake's ear twitched as she leaned closer and-

"There you two are." The sound of Weiss's voice was like being doused in a bucket of water taken from underneath one of Atlas’s many ice sheets.

Yang jerked to a stiff posture while Blake took a quick step backwards. Yang blew out a breath, doing her best to school her features before she turned to face the rest of their teammates. She met Blake’s gaze, happy to see that she wasn't the only one who was flustered, if the down-turned tips of her ears were anything to go by.

"I'm going to kill her." Yang said, earning her a smirk from her partner.

"Behave," Blake said, moving back close turning her head up next to Yang's ear, "And maybe we can _talk_ about what just happened later." 

Yang shivered, Blake's words warm against her ear. "Sounds like a deal." Yang said, taking Blake's hand and turning them towards the others. 

She pointedly ignored the look Weiss gave them. Yang had more important things to think about. 

Like just how perfect Blake's hand felt in hers.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, if you have any comments or constructive criticisms leave them below! 
> 
> Until next time, peace!


End file.
